MASTERS OF REALITY, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, ORANGE GOBLIN + 6 MORE ANNOUNCED AS FIRST ACTS

27.09.2019

DESERTFEST LONDON ANNOUNCE FIRST ARTISTS FOR 2020 EDITION AND WEEKEND TICKETS NOW ON SALE
MASTERS OF REALITY | CORROSION OF CONFORMITY | ORANGE GOBLIN | BRANT BJORK | THE PICTUREBOOKS | GREEN LUNG | THE BROTHERS KEG | POSSESSOR | BLACK ORCHIDS
Desertfest returns to Camden for its 9th offering next May 2020, with last year’s festival playing host to the likes of OM, Fu Manchu, Amenra, All Them Witches and Wovenhand. Over the last few years, Desertfest has seen not only a rapid expansion in terms of attendees, but an ever-growing diversity of artists at the forefront of the booking process. Whilst the opening of the festivals figurative mind has been an important path to take, the core has, and will, remain the same; a strong vein of flowing stoner rock grooves to keep the weekend grounded. And so with that, Desertfest are thrilled to welcome back some familiar faces before they reveal some new ones…
Making their first UK appearance in five years, MASTERS OF REALITY will return to London for their Desertfest debut as 2020 headliners next May. One of the most influential bands in desert rock history, with the genres very own Godfather at the reins, MASTERS is the brainchild of legendary producer Chris Goss (Welcome to Sky Valley, Rated R, Blues for The Red Sun, Dust, Songs for The Deaf). Their effortless combination of hard-rock blues with an experimentally progressive tinge makes no apologies for not sticking within the stylised box listeners would assume, yet simultaneously provides the perfect lesson in the musical ethos and story-telling of the Palm Desert scene - all led by the man who laid its foundations.
MASTERS have lived a unique career since their inception in 1981 - signing to Def Jam Records in 1986, having their first full length produced by Rick Rubin, alternating line-ups that have seen Ginger Baker, Josh Homme, Mark Lanegan and Dave Catching join the brethren - the elusive and unapologetic journey MASTERS OF REALITY have taken is to be greatlyadmired. Desertfest are truly honoured to tick another band off the wish-list and give the stage to an act who wholly encompasses our roots and reason.
Some welcome returns come in the form of North Carolina favourites CORROSION OF CONFORMITY - their Southern stomp, spearheaded by frontman Pepper Keenan’s unmistakable drawl, slides down as easy as the smoothest whiskey known to man. The last time C.O.C played Desertfest was in 2016 and the party that took place both on and off stage will be hazily etched into our memory forever, you’d be a fool to pass up an opportunity to revel in one of the greatest live acts the heavy metal scene has ever spewed from its raucous underbelly.
Comrades since the inception of Desertfest, the mighty ORANGE GOBLIN will join us to celebrate a colossal anniversary, frontman Ben Ward shares the following: “As ORANGE GOBLIN celebrates 25 Years as a band we can think of no better place to start the celebrations than at Desertfest London, in our home town. Having played the first ever Desertfest back in 2012 and having watched it grow into the monster it has now become, it is a huge honour for us to be a part of the 2020 line-up. We will be touching on all era’s of the band’s career for a set that defines ORANGE GOBLIN and the special rapport that we share with our London fans.”
The desert daze continues with yet another iconic figure making an appearance, BRANT BJORK will bask in psychedelic sunshine as his quintessential rhythm penetrates through Camden. Best known as a founding member of Kyuss and Vista Chino BRANT BJORK’s multi-instrumental career has resulted in a unique sound, evolving to what can now only be referred to as ‘living legend’ status. High-octane party starters THE PICTUREBOOKS will supply a foot-stomping frenzy that truly defies logic for a two-piece, whilst London’s GREEN LUNG effortlessly walk the astral plane of psychedelic occult doom - with their debut album ‘Woodland Rites’ reaching critical acclaim GREEN LUNG have firmly placed themselves on our ones-to-watch-list.
Our final additions proudly showcase some more home-grown talent, describing themselves as “hyper-lysergic space sludge” THE BROTHERS KEG is morphing into a creature worthy of more than just attention but a serious admiration for song writing, with rumblings of a debut LP entering the orbit imminently. Horror-fanatics POSSESSOR combine thrash, punk and flurry of fuzz into a witch’s brew of unhinged ferocity best witnessed live and loud. To round things off we welcome BLACK ORCHIDS whose otherworldly soundscapes, lead effortlessly by the ethereal vocals of frontwoman Kay Elizabeth, will take listeners on a journey of groove and reflection.
With many more acts still to be announced, we are thrilled to kick off our ninth year with so many artists who have been part of our roots. Weekend tickets are now on sale for Desertfest London 2020

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